Best Ant Spray for Kitchen: 6 Picks to Stay Ant-Free!

Are you tired of ants constantly invading your kitchen? Luckily, an ant spray offers instantaneous results, killing pesky ants on direct contact. But the question is, what’s the best ant spray for kitchen use?

To help you avoid killing kitchen ants the wrong way, accidentally splitting their colonies, and making the issue worse, I’ve reviewed and tested over the 20 best ant killer sprays on the market to highlight the six you must consider.

See which spray can blow your kitchen ant issue for good!

ANT SPRAY	BRAND	EXPERT RATING	CHECK PRICE
	Our Top Pick!  Ortho Home Defense Insect Killer Ant Spray for Kitchen		Check Price
	EcoRaider Ant Killer Spray		Check Price
	TERRO Indoor Carpenter Ant Killer Spray		Check Price
	Mighty Mint Gallon Natural Peppermint Oil Spray for Ants		Check Price
	Zevo Killer Ant Spray		Check Price
	Hot Shot Ant Killer Aerosol Spray		Check Price

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What’s the Best Ant Spray for Kitchen?

OUR #1 CHOICE

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RUNNERS-UP

EcoRaider Ant Killer Spray

EcoRaider Ant Killer Spray works great for indoor and outdoor use. And it’s potent enough to kill ants on contact, resolving ant infestations in no time.

This ant spray uses active ingredients combined with essential oils like lemongrass. Its unique formula makes it potent and appealing to ants, no matter the species! So, whether you’re dealing with house ants or fire ants in your kitchen, EcoRaider has you covered.

What I love the most about this ant spray is that it’s 100% toxin-free! That means you can use it even with kids or pets around. Still, that doesn’t mean you should carelessly spray it around your kitchen.

But this spray’s effects don’t end after killing ants on site as its trails also act as ant repellant! However, since it combines several essential oils in one bottle, the scent might be too strong.

Once the smell dissipates, your kitchen should return to normal, minus the odor and ants! So, if you’re looking for an all-around spray that can resolve your ant issues in your kitchen ASAP, choose EcoRaider.

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TERRO Indoor Carpenter Ant Killer Spray

Are you tired of facing ants around your kitchen but don’t have the time or budget to spare for extermination? TERRO’s Indoor Carpenter Ant Killer Spray is the perfect solution for you!

This ant spray is one of the most potent in the market, killing ants on contact ASAP! And best of all, it leaves protective barriers that act as a repellant, lasting up to 2 months! You can use TERRO’s ant spray for indoor and outdoor purposes.

Despite its name advertised for carpenter ants, this works well with most ants and other pests like spiders and scorpions. But what I like about this ant spray the most is its built-in nozzle, guaranteeing easy application. And its extended length also makes it easy to reach hard-to-reach spots in the kitchen.

But the downside is that this ant spray can leave an incredibly potent smell, which may take a while to dissipate. And not to mention, it contains toxic chemicals dangerous to kids, animals, and plants. Anyway, once you leave the spray to dry for a few hours, your kitchen should be safe to use again.

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Mighty Mint Gallon Natural Peppermint Oil Spray for Ants

Finding an ant spray that’s potent yet gentle when you have children and pets can be tricky. But Mighty Mint is here to save the day!

Its Gallon-Sized Natural Peppermint Oil Spray for Ants is a powerful ant spray that can kill ants on the spot. And it does all that while having 100% plant-based ingredients! With this, you can apply the ant spray to your kitchen, even with your pets or children running around.

This ant spray uses active ingredients, primarily peppermint essential oil, to kill and repel ants. And thanks to its natural formula, you can use this for indoor and outdoor use.

You don’t have to worry about running out of this ant spray for a while, as it comes in large gallon sizes. As a result, you’ll be able to perform several treatments throughout the year or at least six months.

But my issue with this ant spray is that its oily formula causes it to dry up longer than usual. And though this isn’t a big problem, it increases the chances of having someone accidentally smudge the formula. If you give it a couple of hours to dry off, this shouldn’t be an issue over time.

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Zevo Killer Ant Spray

If you’re looking for a no-frills ant spray that does the job of killing ants at an affordable price, choose Zevo. Zevo’s Killer Ant Spray is one of the most efficient on the market, using natural ingredients.

This ant spray’s active ingredients contain geraniol and cinnamon oil. And these are popular bioinsecticides that can kill ants on direct contact. But the downside is that application can be tricky even with its built-in spray. It requires users to spray the solution directly on the ants, which can be tough to do every time.

But this ant spray should be an excellent pick for those dealing with severe ant infestations. And it’s best to use on kitchen countertops, where most ants invade!

Efficiency and application aside, this ant spray is also incredibly flexible. You can use it inside your kitchen or outdoors, and it’s safe enough to use around children and most pets. But it would be best to never use it around pets like fish, birds, and reptiles as it can be toxic to them.

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Hot Shot Ant Killer Aerosol Spray

My last pick for the best ant spray for kitchen use is Hot Shot’s Ant Killer Aerosol Spray. And even though it’s fragrance-free, it doesn’t hide its potent efficiency!

It can kill ants on contact and deter these tiny pests once dried. Fragrance and efficiency aside, this ant spray is incredibly easy to use thanks to its built-in spray and nozzle. You can apply it even to hard-to-reach spots because of this. I also recommend spraying the outside of your kitchen for the best results.

However, since this ant spray can only last for a month a time, you’ll need to reapply it every four weeks. And though this can be a hassle, it’s very cheap!

But what impressed me the most about this ant spray is its no-fragrance formula! Either way, with this, you should be able to apply it throughout your kitchen. And yes, that includes when your kids or pets are running around.

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How to Find the Best Ant Spray for Kitchen Use? (Buying Guide)

Since hundreds of killer ant sprays are available, finding the best ant spray for kitchen use can be challenging. So, to narrow down your options, here are some factors to consider to help you make a better-educated decision.

🐜 Type of Ant

Before buying ant spray, determine what ant species is invading your kitchen. But since there are thousands, it can be tricky to see what you’re dealing with at home. Generally, however, here are the common ant species present in North America: 

• Pavement ants. These are our brown or black ants that like swarming over paving tiles. Hence, their name. You won’t likely find this in your kitchen as they’re avid swarmers with wings. So, they often fly to start new colonies.
• Odorous house ants. These small brownish to blackish ants nest within walls and under floorings. They get drawn by sweet treats and are active during the warmer months.
• Carpenter ants. Among the largest ant species, carpenter ants love wood — like their name! They’re among the most destructive species and leave holes in walls, floors, or ceilings. You can find these near your kitchen windows.
• Fire ants. A distinctive species with a brownish to reddish color. Despite their tiny size, fire ants pose the most dangerous and immediate threat to us and our pets! After all, a fire ant’s sting is no joke. 

If knowing the exact ant species is impossible, try general identification. Generally, you can categorize kitchen ants as sweet or grease eaters. Some may like to munch on sugary things, while others opt for fat and protein. Knowing what the ants in your kitchen like to eat can help you resolve the problem quicker. This way, you’ll know what bait and spray works best.

🐜 Type of Ant Spray

Although most ant sprays kill on contact, some can bait ants and slowly poison them to death. I highly recommend opting for kill-on-contact ant sprays as they provide immediate results. They use active ingredients like deltamethrin to eliminate ants and other insects on contact. And they contain potent chemicals that destroy an ant’s nervous system and exoskeleton.

But as efficient as ant sprays are, they can’t deal with colonies. So, even if these sprays deter ants from returning, they aren’t permanent. And because of this, kill-on-contact sprays are only ideal when the ants’ nest is visible.

Meanwhile, if you want a long-term and permanent solution, go for bait killer ant sprays. These draw ants with alluring scents and flavors laced with poison, making them unknowingly carry the poison back to their colonies. Generally, bait ant sprays have active ingredients such as fipronil. Although they have delayed effects, it allows the worker ants to carry or eat the poison to their nests!

And those ants will either bring the bait to their nest or die within the colonies. The former encourages the other ants in hiding to ingest the poison while the latter poisons other ants via their corpses.

🐜 Kitchen Ant Spray Active Ingredients

Ant sprays can either have a delayed effect or work immediately. And what determines their onset of impact depends on their active ingredients. Generally, I recommend using a combination of both for severe ant infestations in the kitchen, where you spot over eleven ants. Using instant killer ant sprays alongside those with delayed-onset poison can help you deal with these massive infestations long-term. 

Usually, ant sprays with delayed-onset effects use potent chemicals such as borax or fipronil to let ants ingest the poison, bring it back to their colonies, and spread it. And this should work within 1 to 3 days after consumption. Still, the time required to destroy ant nests depends on several factors. But generally, you should continually use delayed-onset ant spays until you no longer see an ant crawling around your kitchen.

Meanwhile, if you want to deal with ant infestations directly, go for instant killer ant sprays with active ingredients like deltamethrin. These deal with an ant’s CNS and exoskeleton and are fatal and cause ants, no matter the species, to suffocate and die.

🐜 Application and Use of the Ant Spray

When looking for the best ant spray for kitchen use, consider its application too! I recommend reading the instruction labels to confirm if you can use it only inside your kitchen. Aside from that, also check the safety recommendations as some can be dangerous to humans or pets. Some ant sprays must dry off entirely to be safe for people and animals to be around for a long time. 

Meanwhile, other killer ant sprays are entirely safe to use around children and pets. And finally, some products may suggest wearing personal protective equipment during application.

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What are the Other Ways to Remove Ants from the Kitchen?

As efficient as ant spray, there are other ways to deal with ant infestations at home. And there are many natural methods to get rid of ants in your kitchen. You likely already have most things to help with your ant issue, from cleaning supplies to pepper. 

Here are other foolproof ways to get rid of ants from your kitchen aside from using ant spray:

✔️ Make a Glass Cleaner and Liquid Detergent Ant Spray Solution

No matter their species, ants leave a pheromone trail with a scent whenever they walk. And this, in turn, serves as a map for them and other ants. Cleaning up after these and removing the smell stops the ants from invading your kitchen. You can create a mix of glass cleaner and liquid detergent. 

Luckily, making this glass cleaner and liquid detergent solution is simple. And you likely already have everything needed for the process at home! Here’s how to make a glass cleaner and liquid detergent solution to repel ants from your kitchen:

1. Fill a spray bottle with glass cleaner and liquid detergent, and mix.
2. Apply this solution to ant-infested areas around your kitchen.
3. Wipe any remaining residue of the glass cleaner and liquid detergent solution.
4. Repeat until all ants in your kitchen disappear.

You can substitute glass cleaner with soapy water mixed with dish or hand soap. These should be strong enough to remove the scents left by ant pheromones.

✔️ Invest in Essential Oils 

Due to their potent fragrances and lasting effect, using essential oils to make homemade ant sprays has become popular. It helps address your ant issues in your kitchen without asking for too much work or budget!

Below are the best and most efficient essential oils for getting rid of or deterring ants: 

Peppermint Ant Spray

Although peppermint may smell fantastic to us, it’s another story for ants. Its potent fragrance repels most bugs, including ants. I recommend mixing a minimum of 10 and a max of 20 drops of peppermint essential oil with water. Combine these essential peppermint oil drops with two cups of water into a spray bottle. Doing so ensures easy application. 

Spray the peppermint mixture around ant-infested areas in your kitchen. But for this unique combination, you don’t need to wipe the residues dry. You can let it dry on its own to help it leave a more deterring scent behind! This way, you can keep ants at bay without applying too much of the peppermint concoction.

Keep your peppermint oil mixture away from pets and kids as it can be harmful, especially for cats!

Lemon Eucalyptus Oil 

Lemon eucalyptus oil has citronella, which is excellent in repelling ants. Unlike other essential oils, you don’t need a spray bottle for lemon eucalyptus oil. All you need to do is soak a couple of cotton balls with lemon eucalyptus oil and place them in ant-infested spots. It prevents them from going beyond it, keeping your kitchen ant-free. 

Tea Tree Essential Oil Ant Spray

Tea tree oil is among the best for killing and deterring ants. No matter the kind of ant you’re dealing with in your kitchen, tea tree oil can keep them at bay! Unlike peppermint essential oil, you’ll only need 5 to 10 drops of tea tree oil. But the same water ratio remains as two cups for one spray bottle! 

You can spray this unique combination of tea tree oil and water around your kitchen. If you can’t spot the ants, you can deal with them behind the scenes by saturating cotton balls with the mixture. And spread this around your kitchen to repel ants. 

If tea tree oil alone may smell too strong for you, mix it with some drops of peppermint oil to tone it down. 

OLE (Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus)

OLE originates from the gum eucalyptus tree and has more potent chemicals like PMD, an efficient ant repellent. The EPA considers PMD an excellent biopesticide and is safe to use.

Despite being different, you use OLE like lemon eucalyptus essential oil. You soak a few cotton balls in OLE and place them around ant-infested areas in your kitchen. 

Cinnamon Leaf Oil 

Particular compounds present in cinnamon leaf oil are potent and kill and deter ants. You only need to soak a handful of cotton balls with this essential oil and place it around your kitchen. I recommend replacing those cotton balls weekly to keep them fresh.

 Neem Oil

Finally, the last oil I recommend for killing ants is neem oil. It originates from neem trees, where many use it as a bioinsecticide. You’ll need to apply this one differently, such as adding a couple of drops around your kitchen. Regardless, remember that this works best around plants! So, if you have a couple of herbs or other plants in your kitchen, keep them ant-free with neem oil! 

But you’ll need pure neem oil as neem extracts don’t work as well as the full-strength version.

✔️ Poison Kitchen Ants with Boric Acid

If you’re looking for a long-term solution, use boric acid to poison ants slowly in your kitchen. Once ingested, the chemical should be able to kill all ants within three weeks! Boric acids work by eroding an ant’s exoskeleton and digestive system.

Here’s how you can use boric acid to kill ants in your kitchen:

1. Mix half a teaspoon of boric acid and eight teaspoons of sugar into one cup of water.
2. Stir these ingredients until you see the sugar dissolve.
3. Soak a couple of cotton balls and spread them around ant-infested spots in your kitchen. 

Although it works best in the method mentioned, you may also use boric acid in DIY ant traps. You can mix it with something that’ll attract the ants, like corn syrup. But unlike the cotton balls used above, you can apply this to disposable surfaces like an index card.

✔️ Go Natural with Some Lemons

Squeeze some lemons and spritz or wipe the juice in ant-infested areas. This citrus fruit can remove the scent of pheromone trails left by ants. Aside from that, its potent fragrance also masks the smell of food. And besides the juice, you can also use the remaining lemon rinds around affected spots to deter ants from staying in your kitchen. 

✔️ Keep the “Outdoors” Strictly Outside

As lovely as it is to decorate your kitchen with plants and other “outdoor” accessories, it’s not the best for ants. After all, the warm soil makes for the perfect place for these tiny pests to make nests. But if you don’t want to sacrifice your houseplants, you can prevent ants from entering them by surrounding the soil with rinds from citrus fruits like lemon. 

Meanwhile, cut off all vegetation or vines touching or leaning into the exterior of your home and windows. These make accessible pathways for ants to invade your kitchen!

✔️ When in Doubt, Use White Vinegar as Ant Spray

You already likely have a white vinegar bottle or two lying around your kitchen, so why not use them to deal with your ant situation? It’s an efficient and affordable method of killing and repelling ants, and best of all, it’s 100% natural! So, you don’t need to worry about your pets or kids accidentally ingesting the vinegar.

I recommend diluting the vinegar with a 1:1 ratio with water in a spray bottle to tone down its potent odor. And all you need to do is apply some of it to ant-infested areas around your kitchen. But as effective as this is, the smell can be unbearable. Luckily, diluted vinegar’s scent fades faster than using it purely.

✔️ Pour Boiling Water on Problem Areas In Your Kitchen

If you pot tiny holes across your kitchen, pour boiling water into those! It’s an efficient way of dealing with many hidden ants. And though these may seem small, the ant colonies can be housing thousands or not millions of ants! But remember, the boiling water method alone won’t kill off ant colonies.

So, besides chucking boiling water into these holes, remember to treat them as well.

✔️ Smother Ants in Your Kitchen with Cornstarch

Cornstarch is an everyday kitchen ingredient you likely have in your pantry now. It can help you smother several ants at once. You can use these two ways: pour it over the ants and wipe them off or get help with a vacuum cleaner.

In this first method, you must pour generous cornstarch over sin ants and mix in some water. Its sticky and thick consistency should be enough to stop those ants from moving.

Meanwhile, you can use cornstarch alongside a vacuum cleaner if you don’t want to clean up after sticky cornstarch. For this, all you must do is sprinkle some of this kitchen ingredient on ants and vacuum them up! 

✔️ Deter Ants with your Morning Coffee Grounds

If you have some ground coffee beans to spare, use them to eliminate ants in your kitchen. You can use these coffee grounds as bait and kill them slowly. I recommend sprinkling some of it on disposable surfaces and leaving them around ant-infested spots in your kitchen. But remember to replace these grounds often as they may lose their effectiveness once dried.

✔️ Cut Off Food Sources

Ants often invade the kitchen as it’s full of food sources for them. Not to mention, these tiny pests get attracted to sweets and starchy food items. You can keep all food items sealed in airtight containers or wrapped with plastic.

So, as convenient as it is to have the best ant spray for kitchen use, it’s still favorable to clean up after your kitchen daily! From the tiniest crumb to the largest spills, ensure to clean these up to stop ants from invading your kitchen.

Also, if you have a pet, always clean up after their bowls as their food can attract ants in your kitchen. I recommend removing your pet’s bowls as soon as they finish eating!

✔️ Block Off or Destroy all Ant Entrances

Determining how ants enter your kitchen can help you stop infestations faster and prevent them from happening again. So, inspect your kitchen for cracks or holes in the ceiling, flooring, or walls. You can seal or treat these with some ant repellent or ant spray. 

✔️ Invest in Some Bait Traps or Commercial Repellents

If you’re facing a severe ant infestation in your kitchen where these previous methods don’t work anymore, consider investing in bait traps. These are excellent long-term solutions to kitchen ant infestation issues. 

Ant bait traps have pesticides in enclosed forms that make it safer for occupants in your home. And these work by attracting ants and slowly poisoning them to their death. The best part is these ants unknowingly bring the poison to their nests, killing off the other ants. 

If not pesticide, some ant bait traps use boric acid. It’s a toxic chemical that can kill ants faster than pesticides. But if you’re not too keen on having all these dangerous chemicals around your kitchen, you can also opt for non-toxic options!

You can get non-toxic ant repellents ideal for ant control. 

✔️ If The Ants Don’t Stop Invading Your Kitchen, Hire an Exterminator

If no methods work for you and your kitchen is still an ant haven, hire an exterminator. I recommend working with one that handles things with as few chemicals as possible. This practice ensures the safety and health of you and your family. So, before hiring an exterminator, ask them about their methods and how they deal with the ants.

✔️ Sprinkle Some Ground Red or Black Pepper on Affected Areas

Among the best natural ant deterrents is black or red cayenne pepper. It seems that these tiny pests can’t stand their potent odor. So, for a quick solution for your ant issues in the kitchen, sprinkle some red or black pepper on the affected areas. But remember, this can only keep the ants at bay and won’t get rid of them for good.

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How to Keep Ants Out from the Kitchen?

Once you’ve dealt with your ant issues in the kitchen thanks to ant sprays, it’s time to stop it from happening again! After all, no one would want to keep dealing with ant infestations where they cook and eat. So, explore these five foolproof prevention methods to keep your kitchen ant-free long-term! 

✔️ Always Clear Your Sinks Off From Dishes 

The simplest yet most efficient way to clear your kitchen from ants is by always keeping your sink clean! After all, no ant can resist exposed leftovers free for the taking. And we all know that these tiny pests scavenge even for the smallest food particles. So, try to keep your kitchen sink free from dishes 24/7. 

Never keep dishes out overnight as it’ll attract more ants in the process. Aside from keeping the kitchen sink clean and dish-free, always wipe your countertops! Ensure it’s free from spills or smudges, as these also welcome ants to your domain.

✔️ Regularly Sweep and Mop Your Kitchen Floors

Ants leave strongly scented pheromone trails for their other buddies to follow. So, clean your kitchen floors as often as possible. But it would be best if you cleaned the area using disinfecting cleanser to remove the leftover smells. You can make a killer ant cleanser at home by mixing equal parts of vinegar and water in a spray bottle. 

✔️ Clean Up After Your Pet’s Food Bowls Daily 

As convenient as it is to leave your pet’s food bowls filled with their favorite kibble, it can attract a lot of ants. After all, what ant can resist food out in the open? So, once your pet finishes eating, please clean up after them ASAP. Aside from that, position the food and water bowl far from your foundation walls. 

It’s easy for these tiny pests to trail in from the walls from outside and find your pet’s food. Also, I recommend keeping your pet’s food and water bowls elevated. 

✔️ Keep All Your Food or Leftovers in Sealed Containers 

Since ants mostly invade our kitchens because of the numerous food sources, it only makes sense to cut these off! So, to prevent ants from invading your kitchen again, always keep all food or leftovers in sealed, airtight containers. I recommend using glass or plastic containers as ants can’t penetrate the material.

✔️ Take Out The Trash Once It’s Full 

Any ant colony will consider your kitchen trash as a food haven! So, never let your trash can sit piled to the brim for a long time and take it out often. After all, the longer you keep the garbage in your kitchen, the more it has to break down. And when this happens, it’ll emit a more potent odor that smells nasty and attracts ants! Aside from that, ensure you bag all perishables tightly before throwing them away. 

Don’t forget to wash your kitchen trash cans with soap and water to keep them clean and free from any residue. 

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How does an ant spray kill ants in the kitchen?

A: Ant sprays contain unique mixes of chemicals like boric acid that can kill ants fast. Getting sprayed with an ant spray guarantees immediate death to ants, no matter the kind. And the best part about ant sprays is that they continue to deter ants even after it dries up! So, those looking to deal with their ant issues in their kitchens should get an ant spray for a swift solution.

Q: How to get rid of ants in my kitchen for good?

A: Using harsh chemicals for insects like those present in ant sprays is an excellent way to deter ants for good. I recommend starting with the ant spray and adding natural deterrents later on. This combination should be a foolproof way to eliminate those pesky ants in your kitchen.

Q: How to remove ants from my kitchen countertop?

A: Find the ants’ entry points and block each one. Kitchen countertops are a popular target among ants due to the different food items that get dropped, smudged, or hidden on top. So to get rid of these tiny pests, you’ll need to find their entry point. Common entryways include the under your doors, window sills, or within your walls or ceiling.

Q: What is the best ant spray for kitchen use indoors?

A: The best ones are aerosol sprays that kill ants on contact but are safe to use anywhere at home. And it shouldn’t affect your kitchen and other places where your children or pets hang out often. Although not incredibly necessary, it’s worth looking into ant sprays made from natural ingredients to keep things clean and chemical-free.

Q: What’s the quickest way to remove ants from my kitchen?

A: Ant sprays offer instantaneous results, killing most ants on contact. So, if you’re looking for a quick way to resolve your ant issue in your kitchen, buy an aerosol ant spray. You may also try using white vinegar to eliminate and deter ants away. 

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Final Words

Getting the best ant spray for kitchen use can help you deal with pesky ants fast and efficiently. So, all you need to do is see which spray variation would work best for your kitchen. Either way, any of the listed killer ant sprays can help you kickstart the journey of making your kitchen ant-free in no time.